Moore said the Royals were limited in their ability to make trade deadline moves

A lack of financial flexibility "plagued the Royals’ front office" during the MLB trade deadline on Thursday and is a big reason the team emerged "without an addition," according to Andy McCullough of the K.C. STAR. Although the club intends to stay active in the trade market once players begin to clear waivers, there was "disappointment in an inability to execute any moves." Heading into this week, both Royals Owner David Glass and GM Dayton Moore indicated that the club "possessed the capability of adding salary at the deadline." Moore on Thursday "did not say outright that money was a reason a trade wasn’t made," but he "obliquely referenced the financial divide between larger-market clubs and his own." Moore: “We’re not going to apologize for our market, and what we can’t do. But there’s certainly limitations.” McCullough notes in addition to the financial aspect, the Royals also could not make a deal in part because potential trade partners "sought major-league players, not prospects." The club "lacked interest in sacrificing their affordable, younger talent" (K.C. STAR, 8/1).

FINANCIAL COMMITMENT ISSUES: In Phoenix, Zach Buchanan reports the D-Backs trading RF Gerardo Parra and 3B Martin Prado for three minor league prospects "wiped a significant amount of salary off the books." In addition to the deals that sent away Ps Brandon McCarthy and Joe Thatcher earlier in the month, the D-Backs saved about $30M in "salary commitments" -- around $8M in '14 and the remaining $22M for the final two years of Prado's contract. D-Backs GM Kevin Towers: "It gives us some flexibility and the ability to maybe do some more things this winter, to allocate those dollars more towards pitching and other needs. We weren't looking to do a deal that we were going to have to pay his contract down" (ARIZONA REPUBLIC, 8/1).

MONEY FOR NOTHING: Phillies GM Ruben Amaro Jr. said that the Phillies' lack of movement at the trade deadline "wasn't about money." Amaro: "We were willing to take back money and pay down some of the contracts if it was the right thing to do." While the team did not make any moves Thursday, Amaro "promised the offseason would be different" (USA TODAY, 8/1). In Newark, Randy Miller writes what "standing pat this time" means is that the Phillies, last in the NL East with a 47-61 record, will "press on with one of baseball's biggest payrolls" (Newark STAR-LEDGER, 8/1). In Philadelphia, Bob Brookover notes Amaro remained confident he will be the "man in charge of reconfiguring the roster between now and the start of next season." However, he conceded that Phillies President & CEO David Montgomery has given him "no such assurance" (PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER, 8/1).